Advertise on podcast: Art Conversations with Lisa Jayne Irvine

After a career in television and cinema in the 2000s, Pascal Normand has devoted himself since 2009 to the creation of his pictorial artwork.  Independent and self-taught, Pascal has participated in artistic events such as the New Art Festival in Ottawa, the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TAOF) and MTL en Arts in Montreal. In recent years, Pascal’s  work has won several important awards: Mayor's Prize at the Couleurs Urbaines symposium in Granby (2018), CCLGBTQ Jury Prize at the MTL en Arts festival (2018), 3rd Grand Prize at the 34th International Gala of Visual Arts in Montreal (2019), Desjardins Public Prize at the 22nd edition of Mtl en Arts (2021). Several solo exhibitions are already scheduled in various venues until 2024. Pascal’s primary inspiration, the textural uniqueness of industrial landscapes and architectural jewels is at the heart of his creative work. In his nocturnal photography, he combines digital art and aerosol painting to develop a different perspective on these places. A collective memory to which he pays homage by giving life to a current urban aesthetic where evocative settings are established.  On today’s episode Pascal talks about his journey from the film industry to the fine arts world, why he takes photos at night and his involvement in art shows.  Interested in seeing some of Pascal’s work. Go to their website at https://pascalnormand.com  Find Pascal on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pascalnormand/ or check out his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6AF715037DE2E4BB Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Originally from London, Tara Leaver is an artist and teacher living by the sea in Cornwall, England. After completing a Foundation Diploma in London in her early twenties, her regular art practice took a back seat to travel and various forms of employment, including six years teaching Montessori. She was also dealing with recurring bouts of depression which impacted her creativity for several years. Tara moved to Hove on the south coast as part of her recovery, and resumed painting in 2008, embarking on a period of intensive study and development after discovering the world of online blogs and art courses. Ten years later she moved again, this time to Cornwall, to live in a clifftop cottage with a purpose built studio in the garden. She began swimming outdoors, and this saw her work - always inspired by ideas of freedom and coastal living - evolve to focus on her deep love of sea swimming and immersing in wild nature. As a result of her years of exploring art as a means of self discovery and self expression, Tara began teaching online in 2013. This has evolved into a comprehensive artist membership site and community, supporting other artists on their own paths. Having these two strands to her work - her own practice and the artist support she offers - brings a rich diversity to her life as an artist. Tara sells work in galleries in London, the Cotswolds, and Cornwall, and via her own website.  Her work is owned by private collectors in Europe, Australia, the USA, Canada and Africa.  On today’s episode Tara talks about her love of nature, how living by the sea has transformed her and her work as well as her online teaching.  Interested in seeing some of Tara’s  work. Go to their website at taraleaverart.com Find Tara on Instagram at www.instagram.com/taraleaverart Want to know more about her teaching? Check out Tara’s teaching instagram @taraleaver or her teaching website at www.taraleaver.com Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Born in Windsor, Ontario, Laura Peturson holds a BFA from York University and an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. With a practice situated in printmaking, drawing and painting, Laura’s works combine multiple print-based techniques with a handmade aesthetic. Laura lives in Callander, Ontario, and teaches printmaking, painting, and drawing at Nipissing University. Her practice includes traditional printmaking disciplines, as well as large-scale print-based mural works that involve layering woodcut, linocut and papercut prints with wheatpaste over hand-painted imagery.  Laura's work has been presented in recent solo exhibitions at Galerie Atelier Circulaire in Montreal, Station Gallery in Whitby, and Alberta Printmakers Gallery in Calgary as well as numerous group exhibitions in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. In addition to exhibiting in galleries, Laura has an active practice in illustration and public art, with large-scale murals in Sudbury, North Bay, and Port Burwell, ON. On today’s episode Laura talks about her love of printmaking, how she plans her installation works and how her teaching practice informs her art practice.  Interested in seeing some of Laura’s work. Go to their website at www.laurapeturson.com Find Laura on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurapeturson/ Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com  

Victoria lives and paints in Hamilton’s James North art district and cottages on the edge of Algonquin Park and enjoys hiking and paddling the natural spaces of Ontario’s north, be it Muskoka, Algonquin, Haliburton, Kawartha, Madawaska or the length of Bruce Trail. The contrast of sky to rocky cliffs, grand pines and idyllic islands make for great inspiration. Her labyrinth style finds much inspiration in the exposed rock of the Canadian Shield, the grand White Pines and wide open skies. Come join her on land or on water. Victoria is a professional artist who works from her studio in the Hamilton’s James North art district. Over the last 20 years she has painted oversized, ants eye view florals combined with abstractions and surreal nests floating in the sky. She is currently focused on the Ontario Landscape in all its vast diversity. As an artist and avid hiker, observing and recording as she hikes or paddles along is an important part of her process. Victoria is an enthusiastic Bruce Trail Conservancy member and cottager on the edge of Algonquin Park. The province boasts so many waterfalls and grand pine forests, silhouetted islands, craggy cliffs and voluminous skies that there will never be time to experience them all, but she tries. Within them she finds the shapes, lines, colours, patterns and forms she so loves.  To play with the interplay of one colour pushing against another or shapes as parts of an overall interconnecting composition is a challenge and a joy. To see the constant movement of all things natural is sometimes easy, as in a waterfall, but more challenging in a wall of granite. She says it’s the geography geek in her that is excited by a ridge of Dolostone or Granite, or the rush of a water cascade, all products of the time glaciers covered the land. Expressing that friction and interconnectedness is what she strives to do.  Victoria’s labyrinth style of landscape is a unique one. It evokes a myriad of associations from ancient writings to tile or knitted patterns, even mathematical principles to some.  On today’s episode Victoria talks about her labyrinth style paintings and how her love of hiking the Bruce trail and nature inform her studio practice.  Interested in seeing some of Victoria’s work. Go to their website at https://www.victoriapearce.ca Find Victoria  on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/victoriapearceart Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Jorn Schmidt grew up in Germany, where he studied Philosophy. Jorn moved to Canada in 2005. His first contact with screen printing was in Berlin, where he tried to support himself during his  Ph.D studies. He would sell t-shirts and other things on the weekend at a local flea market. The first t-shirt Jorn ever designed and printed depicted the Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, part of what he now calls The 'Philosophers' series. When Jorn moved to Canada for romantic reasons, he discovered that continuing his  studies proved more difficult and lengthier than anticipated. Again, Jorn turned to making t-shirts, which he sold online, mostly through ebay. Jorn taught himself  basic programming skills and soon launched his own website. At the same time he shifted from the Philosophers to urban scenes, which would attract a larger audience.  Production initially  took place at his home until the next big step in 2015. With sales going up and his designs also available in local shops, Jorn opened his own shop in Montreal's Mile End area. Initially the idea was to have a workshop and Jorn hoped that a bit of foot traffic would help to cover the rent. Seven years later, the shop was featured in some of the local  guide books.  On today’s episode Jorn talks about starting his t-shirt business, his interest in philosophy and his infamous racoon design.  Interested in seeing some of Jorn’s work. Go to his website at www.tresnormale.com  Find Jorn on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tresnormale/ Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Delio Delgado is a Dominican-Canadian artist based out of Hamilton, Ontario He has a BFA in multidisciplinary studies from The National School of Visual Arts in the Dominican Republic. Delio also graduated from the Altos de Chavon, The School of Design which is affiliated with Parson’s The New School of Design in New York City. Delio also has completed Digital Media Production as a Graphic Designer at  Mohawk College. Between 1997 and 2021 Delio has exhibited extensively in public and alternative spaces in The Caribbean, Europe, the USA and Canada. Some of the galleries his work has been seen in include The civil Museum of The City of Cremona In Italy, The Art Gallery of Peterborough, The Houston Museum of African American Culture in United States, The Print Biennial in Varna, Bulgaria, The Biennial of Dominican Republic, The Havana Biennial in Cuba, IDB cultural Center in Washington DC,  and recently at YouMe Gallery in Hamilton, Ontario Delio has been living in Hamilton, Ontario since 2003. On today’s episode Delio talks about his journey to Hamilton, Ontario from the Dominican Republic, how Covid not only changed his life but also his work, and what he is currently working on in his studio. Find Delio on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/deldelgado/ Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Join me from my studio as I talk about the Artist - Life balance. After a busy week full of events, podcast recordings and studio engagements, I spent a little time reflecting on how best to manage my time without feeling burnt out. So, what does it take to be a full time artist? How do I find balance between teaching, my art practice, recording a podcast and the daily demands of life. I will share some of my musings and insights into how to establish a regular studio routine, and some of the tips and tricks that work for me. So grab a cuppa tea and relax into this weeks episode.  Interested in seeing some of my work. Go to my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lisajayneirvine/  Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Peggy Taylor Reid is a photographer using both a traditional and an alternative lens. Her work encompasses constructed photographs, concepts, and the natural world. She holds a BFA from the University of Ottawa and a B.ED from the University of Toronto. She is an educator, and a long-time member of Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography, and presently is a member and past co-chair of The Red Head Gallery collective. Taylor Reid’s work can be found in private and public collections, most notably the Art Gallery of Peel. She received the N.Y. Photo Curator award for her series (re)pair, the Director’s award for the work Strength from the A Smith Gallery in Texas and 2 honourable mentions for the 12th Julia Cameron Awards in Self-portrait and Digital Manipulation & Collage. Her work has been published in The HAND magazine, Prefix photo and she was a featured photographer in Light Journal 05. Recent exhibitions include Resounding Within the Echoes, a group show of gallery artists at the Lonsdale Gallery, and online shows The Portrait (Tussle Projects) curated by Laura Horne and Collage curated by Clare Christie for the B. Aird Gallery in Toronto. Peggy Taylor Reid currently lives and works in Caledon, Ontario and is represented by Lonsdale Gallery in Toronto. On today’s episode Peggy talks about her interest in digital photography, what it’s like to experiment with new media, and her creative process as a photographer.  Interested in seeing some ofPeggy’s work. Go to their website at peggytaylorreid.com Find Peggy on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/peggytreid/ Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Cole Swanson is an artist and educator based in Toronto, Ontario. Through a multidisciplinary, collaborative, and materially-focused practice, he explores interspecies dynamics evolving in the anthropocene.  Cole has exhibited works in national and international institutions on four continents and is two-time arts fellow through the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute for his research on natural materials, miniature painting, fresco, and earth pigments. With a sustainable and access-oriented approach to creation and dissemination, Cole often engages conservationists, scientists, and social/community partners to integrate advocacy, education, and lived experience into the creative process. His work has been featured in several media and academic publications and his artistic research on Toronto’s double-crested cormorant colony was a feature on the celebrated program “The Nature of Things” with David Suzuki. He has attended residencies in Canada, India, Brazil, and Spain, and recently contributed to an expansive survey exhibition on art, nature, and ecology at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago Galleries called ‘Earthly Observatory,” curated by Giovanni Aloi and Andrew Yang.  On today’s episode Cole talks about his practice, travel, and the influence of materiality on his process. Interested in seeing some of Cole’s work. Go to his website at coleswanson.org  Find Cole on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/coleswansonart/  Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Heather Horton’s work focuses on internal states, contemplative narratives and often has a personal connection to her own life.Heather was born and raised in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She attended McMaster University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. Heather then went on to graduate from the well-respected Interpretive Illustration program at Sheridan College. Heather’s work can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide. A selection of her paintings is now a part of the permanent collection at the Canadian Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, as well as part of the Government of Ontario's permanent collection. Several of Horton’s paintings can be seen in the Lionsgate film “A Simple Favor”, starring Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, and directed by Paul Feig. Also, Heather has been profiled by Bravo! Canada series The Artist’s Life. Several of her paintings are headed to the moon as a part of the Lunar Codex Project, which will have art in digital form as a part of the payload of three different missions landing in three locations on the lunar surface. You can read more about this exciting project at http://LunarCodex.com  Heather has studios in Los Angeles and London, England, where she and her husband live. On today’s episode Heather talks about her love of the figure, the repeated element of water in her work, and what influenced her early works.  Interested in seeing some of Heather’’s work. Go to her website at  [email protected]  Find Heather on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/heather_horton Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

Sandra Tarantino received a Bachelor of Fine Arts through the Ontario College of Art and Design in Drawing and Painting, a BA at York University in Psychology and a Bachelor of Education at Western University. She has actively participated in the artistic community as Co-Founder and Director of C1 art space from 2004-2011, AWOL Gallery and Studios from 1996-2012 as well as being part of the AWOL Collective to present day. She has recently opened a new gallery and ceramic studio, ArtQuarters Gallery, in Toronto where she creates, exhibits, teaches and showcases other Canadian artists with her life partner, artist Ross Bonfanti and father Marcello Tarantino.  Sandra’’s personal art practice incorporates elements of both painting and sculpture through ceramic sculptures, shaped canvases, and other mixed media work; her pieces are held in private and corporate collections across Canada, U.S.A and Europe. She exhibits her works at art fairs including the Artist Project and TOAE as well as with Art Interiors and Blue Crow Gallery.  A large portion of her life also revolves around teaching students of all ages in a variety of media (including mural creation, mixed media painting and ceramic sculpture); this fuels her personal creation practice and explorations.  Sandra teaches at ArtQuarters Gallery, Avenue Road Arts School and throughout GTA communities and schools with arts organizations including VIBE Arts and Arts Access Fund. She is a past recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Visual Artist Grant, Exhibition Assistance Grant and Artist in Education Grant. On today’s episode Sandra talks about her experience in the Florence Program at OCADU, working with artists in various galleries and collectives as well as how her work has evolved from painting to ceramics.  Interested in seeing some of Sandra’s work. Go to her website at www.sandratarantino.com Find Sandra on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sandratarantino/  Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com

“My job as an artist is to see and translate my visual and emotional moments into pieces that allow the viewer to see, feel and be in my moments giving the viewer pause to reflect on moments in time that I cherished, frozen in pigments.” - Clarence Porter Clarence Porter worked in the Toronto advertising world as an art director/freelance illustrator- a career spanning 40 plus years. Moving to Hamilton Ontario, Clarence pursued working in soft pastels and after receiving an Honourable Mention in the 2006 Pastel Artist Canada “Purely Pastels” Exhibition, he never looked back.  Clarence is represented by Earls Court Gallery in Hamilton Ontario and his work has been collected locally and internationally. He received his Master Pastel Artist of Canada (MPAC) signature designation from Pastel Artists Canada in 2014 and was elected a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America (PSA) in 2016. He is also a member of the International Association of Pastel Societies and an Active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Clarence has been teaching pastel workshops at the Dundas Valley School of Art since 2018 and has been an occasional instructor at the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Aurora Cultural Centre, as well as instructing his own private pastel workshops. Clarence recently retired from teaching figurative painting at Sheridan College in the Visual and Creative Arts Department: eight amazing years of working with young creative minds. He enjoys the interaction with creative minds of all ages. On today’s episode Clarence talks about his journey from illustrator to pastel artist, the importance of Mrs. Straus and how he came to be in Hamilton, Ontario.  Interested in seeing some of Clarence’s work. Go to his website at https://www.porter-arts.com/ Find Clarence on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/porter_arts/ Find me on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/artconversationswithlisajayne/ or at my website at www.lisajayneirvine.com